Fluid separator



pril 9, 1.929. D. BRADSHAW FLUID S EPARATOR Filed Oct. 23, 192@ 2sheets-sheen 0 0 o o 0 o 0 0 o 0 o o 0 o 0 OOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOO OO yOOOOGOAUO April 9, 1929. D. BRADSHAW 1,708,656-

FLUU? SEPAR-TORv Filed oct. 25, 1926 2 sheets-sheet 2 OOOOO ooo oooooooooo OOOOOOO I Patented Apr. 9,` 19429.

UNITED-'STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GRANT D. B'RADSHAW, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLYANIAQASSIGNOR, BY MESNE .AS-SIGNMENTS, T .'BLAWKNOXCOMPANY, OF IBLAWNOX, PENNSYLVANIA, A COR-PORATION 0F NEW JERSEY.

FLUID SEPARATOR.

Application led October 23, 1926. Serial No. 143,675.

This invention relates to fluid separators, and has for its objectproviding a iiuid separator or purifier that can be used for drying orpurifying gases, and is particularly adapted to the drying and purifyingof steam. The general arrangement of the uriiieris that of a well knowntype which 1s adapted to be inserted in a steam or gas generator andarranged so that the steam or gas will pass through drying andpurifyingbailes in the separator and then pass -out to the ordinary gasmain. One of the objects of the invention is to provide for distributinguniformly the flow of steam or gas through thepurifying battles so thateach portion of the ballles may be fully edective. Other objects of theinven- .tion will be apparent from the following description and theaccompanying drawings.

Of the drawings Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional elevation of a fluidseparator which embodies the features vof my invention; Fig. 2 is alongitudinal central sectional elevation of the separator as it appearswhen mounted in a gas generator; andFig. 3 is a similar view, somewhatreduced, of a modified form of separator; Fig. 4 is an elevation cfaseries' of separators mounted in a boiler; Fig. 5 is an enlargedsectional elevation of some of the separators of Fig. 4; and Fig. 6shows a modified form of the separator of Fig. 5 reduced in scale.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention I will describe it as usedin a'steam boiler for drying and purifying the steam generated therein;but it is to bc understood that the invention is applicable to variousother uses, and that it may be applied to other types of separators thanthe one illustrated and described herein. Whenever an apparatus is 40 jused into which gas enters and then passes through any form of baiidesor restricting means, the passage of the gas through the restrictingmeans will not be uniformly distributed ordinarily, unless special meansare provided therefor. Thisis particularly so in case of an elongatedgas receiver, having its outlet at one end, or nearer certain portionsof the baffles than other portions. There is a tendency in such a' casefor the gas to flow more readily through the portions nearer the outletof the apparatus.V The object of my invention isto provide suitablemeans for producrng uniform v distribution of the gas through suchapparatus.

The apparatus illustrated herein comprises I a well known type of fluidseparator called by the trade the Tracyier. The separator has a casing5, in the sides of which are mounted a series of purifying baiies 6. Theapparatus is suitably mounted in la boiler'l. The steam generated in theboiler passes into the separator along the sides thereof and through thebattles and into the chamber 7, and ultimately out of the boiler throughthe outlet 9, to the steam main 10. In cases of this nature, where theoutlet is at one end of the casing, and the steam is at liberty to iiowin through the entire length of the sides, the flow through t'he bafiesnearest the outlet is ordinarily much greater than at more remotepoints. As a consequence the remote baiiies are not fully effective. I,therefore, provide means for resisting the flow of steam more andmore asthe outlet end of the separator is approached. For this purpose Iprovide partitions 11 mounted between the chambers 7 and 8. And in theseplates I provide openings 12. As a consequence, the steam in its passagefrom the bailles to the outlet passes through these openings. Bydecreasing the number or size of the openings, as indicated, as theoutlet -is approached, I restrict more and more the flow of steamthrough the end of the partitions nearest the outlet, thus reducing thetendency of the steam to iiow through the battles adjacent the outletend. And, by properly proportioning the number or the size of theseopenings 12, the flow of the steam is made uniform throughout thebaflles.

In order to properly distribute the steam the aggregate cross section ofthe openings, as the closed end of the separator is approached, mustincrease in a much greater proportion than the distance from the end ofthe baiiies at the outlet end. For this reason, in this particular case,I increase the nunibr of openings at a much greater rate thaift eincrease .in distance from the outlet. But it is to be'understood thatthe size of the openings could be increased if desired to accomplishthis samepurpose. Also, to properly distribute the steam it is desirableto have the partition 11 end before it reaches the closed end of theseparator, and thus to provide an unobstructed opening 16 between thetwo chambers 7 and 8. Substantially the same end may be brought about byincreasing the number of openings, butI preferto insert partitions 11somewhat shorter than the length ofthe casing, as indicated.

For" certain reasons it is desirable in some cases to have freer passageof the steam from the chambers 7 and 8 near the upper portion of theseparator.' yFor instance, this has a tendency to draw moreA steam fromthe upper portion of the boiler, and thus from the,I

drier portions of the steam. Because of this I provide, in someinstances, a slot 20 extending along the upper portion of thepartition'l is even more desirable to have means forp the length of theseries, the baffles most remote Afrom the outlet are at a much greaterdisadvantage overV .those near the outlet.`

Hence, it is desirable to provide gas retarding means that will properlydistribute the gas not only in each separator but also throughout theentire series.

4For this purpose I increase the number or the size of the holes 24,gradually from the outlet to the outer ends of the series. And I alsoincrease materially the size of the end opening 25. Inasmuch as theinner chamber '26 is open continuously from one end of the series to theother, each series'of separators on either side of the outlet actas asingle separator, and if the openings are as indicated the gasdistribution through the baffles ywill be uniform throughout the entirelength of the series. Openings of any other shape may be made intheplates 11. For instance tapering openings or slots 30, 3l and 32 may beused. Preferably these Slots extend the full length of the sectionsandtwo or more are made in each plate. As theseetions recede from theoutlet 9, the slots increase in width, and the rate of increase in widthof each slot is greater than the slots nearer the outlet. By having twoor more slots vertically, the gas distribution vertically through the.bafiies is made more uniform.

I claim as my invention:

l. A fluid separator comprising an elongated casing having an inlet inone side and having an outlet adjacent one end, said separator having apartition extending longitudinally therein between the inlet and theoutlet, `said partition having a plurality of openings therethrough, theopenings decreasing in cross section as the outlet end of the separatoris approached.

2. A fluid separator comprising an elongated casing having an inlet inone side and having an outlet adjacent one end, said separator having apartition. extending logitudinally therein between the inlet and'theoutlet, said partition having a pluralityof openings therethrough, theopenings decreasing. in cross sectionjas the outlet end of theseparator'is approached, the said partition terminating a materialdistance from the end of the casing most remote from the outlet.

3. A fluid separator comprising an elongated casing having aninlet inone Side and having an outlet adjacent one end, said separator having apartition extending longitudinally therein between the inlet and theoutlet, said partition having a plurality of openings therethrough, theopenings decreasing in cross section as the outlet end of the separatoris approached, the said partition terminating a material distance fromthe end of the casing most remote from the outlet, and said partitionterminating before the top of the casing is reached, whereby a slotextends substantially the length of the partition between l thepartition' and the wall of the casing.

4. A fluid separator comprising an elongated casing having an inlet inone side and having an outlet adjacent one end, said separator having apartition extending longitudinally therein between the inlet and theoutlet, saidpartition having a plurality of openings therethrough, theaggregate cross section of v the openings per unit of length decreasingas the outlet end of the separator is approached, the aggregate crosssection of the openings decreasing at a greater rate than the increasein distance from the remote end of the separator.

5. In a fluid separator a casing, having an inlet and an outlet, aplurality of baihes mounted between said inlet and outlet, and apartition in said casing between said baflies and said outlet, saidpartition having a plurality of unequally spaced openings therethroughand being farther apart as the outlet of the separator is approached.

,(5. A4 fluid separator comprising a plurality of sections of separatorsconnected in Series, having an outlet at one end, baiiies along one sideof each separator section, and as retarding means mounted between thebaffles and the outlet, said means comprising a lplate mounted in eachsection, said plate having a plurality of openings therethrough, theopenings per unit of length in each plate increasing in aggregate crosssection as the outlet is receded from, and the aggregate cross SecllOtion of the openings in each plate being greatoutlet, said partitionhaving a plurality of er than that of the adjacent plate nearer theopenings therethrough, the openings increas- 10 outlet. ing in crosssection per unit of length as the 7; A Huid separator comprising anelonoutlet of the separator is receded from.

. 5 gated casing having an inlet in one side and In testimony whereof, Ihereunto set my having an outlet remote from One end, said hand.separator having a. partition extending longitudinally therein betweenthe inlet and the GRANT D. BRADSHAV.

